Tag: Osteoarthritis

Millions turn to non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and analgesics, like Tylenol, for pain relief, but the regular, chronic use of these types of medications is associated with significant, and very serious, side effects such as cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal harm and kidney and/or liver damage. There are natural alternative that already exist that are as easily accessible and inexpensive as the spices found in your kitchen cupboard.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), is a bright yellow spice. Even more potent than its volatile oil is the yellow or orange pigment of turmeric, which is called curcumin. It’s a powerful natural spice that has long been used in the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a variety of conditions, including flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain, and colic.

Despite many years of investigation as a lead drug compound, and the availability of thousands of preclinical studies indicating turmeric’s therapeutic value, many people haven’t realize that this common kitchen spice may offer a suitable drug alternative for common health conditions.

We’re living in a world that depends on popping pills to treat illnesses and it’s also affecting how investors spend their money.

Not many companies are willing to do the human research on the health benefits of turmeric, mainly due to lack of capital available to fund expensive clinical trials. A study that confirm turmeric’s medicinal value was published in the Indonesian Journal of Internal Medicine in April, 2012. The study found the curcuminoid extract of turmeric was able to reduce inflammation in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis.

To read the entire study click here! The results are astonishing and very promising. I urge you to pass this article on and reblogg. It’s very important to spread the word about this Super-spice.

Numerous studies have looked into this potential cancer-fighting link with curcumin, and promising results. For instance, curcumin has been found to:

Inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells
Inhibit the transformation of cells from normal to tumor
Help your body destroy mutated cancer cells so they cannot spread throughout your body
Decrease inflammation
Enhance liver function
Inhibit the synthesis of a protein thought to be instrumental in tumor formation
Prevent the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth

A study published in Arthritis & Rheumatismreports that black Americans have higher rates of vitamin D deficiency and pain sensitivity when compared to white Americans. Vitamin D deficiency may be one of the many factors that account for increased pain in older black Americans with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Researchers at the University of Florida and the University of Alabama at Birmingham recruited 94 participants for the study, 45 black and 49 white patients with OA. The group was 75% female with an average age of 56 years.

All patients completed questionnaires regarding their symptoms. They also underwent sensory testing, measuring sensitivity to heat and pain on the affected knee and forearm.

Eighty-four percent of black participants had vitamin D levels below 30ng/ml compared to 51% of whites. The average vitamin D level for black participants was 19.9. ng/ml compared to white participants with an average level of 28.2 ng/ml.

The researchers found that black participants reported increased overall knee osteoarthritis pain and those with lower vitamin D status displayed greater sensitivity to heat and pain.

“Our data demonstrate that differences in experimental pain sensitivity between the two races are mediated at least in part by variations in vitamin D levels,” Lead author Toni Glover explains.

The authors are currently planning further research to study the impact of improving vitamin D levels on chronic pain in black and white older Americans.